Teachers: Job Satisfaction

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to assess the morale of teachers.

David Laws: We have enormous respect for teachers and the vital role they play. We continue to support teachers by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy. We trust them to use their professional judgment and we reward good quality teaching, including through pay flexibilities which allow heads to pay good teachers more.
	A recent survey for the Times Educational Supplement found that teachers generally feel positive about the work they do. Last year, the Varkey GEMS foundation's Global Teacher Status Index found levels of public respect for the teaching profession in England were higher than in Finland or Germany.
	It is very encouraging that so many good people are choosing a career in teaching. 74% of new teachers now have a 2:1 or a first degree—the highest ever recorded. 14% of Oxford graduates go into teaching, and the annual Graduate Market in 2014 report identified Teach First as Britain's biggest graduate recruiter.